THE husband of a mother-of-two who was murdered by a violent convict only three days after he was released from custody said he hoped he would be locked up forever.

Jacqueline Ross, 44, from New Mills, Derby- shire, was bludgeoned to death with a rock as she took her dog for a Sunday morning walk along a canal.

Ben Redfern-Edwards, 21, from Disley, Cheshire, was convicted unanimously by a jury at Chester Crown Court of the murder of Mrs Ross, who had two sons, Ben, seven, and Oliver, four.

As the verdict was read out the defendant laughed and made an offensive gesture to Mrs Ross's family, who sat weeping at the back of court. As he was taken down he spat at them and members of the police.

Scared

The court heard Redfern-Edwards, who had a string of previous convictions, was so scared of going back to prison that he killed Mrs Ross so she would not report him after he punched her because her dog had barked at him.

He had been on an all-night drinking session to celebrate his release from prison after serving just under two years of a four-and-a-half-year sentence for attempted armed robbery and possession of an imitation firearm.

Speaking after the verdict, Mrs Ross's husband Michael, a hairdresser, described the defendant as a "low life".

He said: "I am serving a life sentence and my boys are serving a life sentence that means they will never see Jacqui.

"I would like to see him locked up forever but failing that as much as the law can allow.

"The important thing for me is the person who did this was found guilty." He refused to criticise the authorities for Redfern-Edwards' early release from prison, but said he hoped lessons had been learned.

Admitted

Throughout the trial the defendant denied killing Mrs Ross but admitted finding her bloodied body near the canal in Disley.

He claimed he did not alert the police because he feared he would be blamed.

The jury dismissed Redfern-Edwards' version of events and found him guilty of battering Mrs Ross to death with a rock.

His father Paul Edwards, who has already been convicted of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and assisting an offender, helped him dispose of his clothes - which were covered in mud and blood - and then drove him away from the house.

Mr Justice Pitchford warned Redfern-Edwards he would receive a statutory life sentence.

The case was adjourned for sentence to a date to be fixed.

A spokeswoman for the Probation Service said they were satisfied the supervision of Redfern- Edwards following his release had been of a "high standard".

She added: "He had committed previous acts of violence and because of this his supervision requirements were stringent.

"Whilst this gave cause for concern, there was nothing to suggest he would carry out an offence of this gravity."